What did you do to your Ranger today?

[SVTPaul]

Boring post ahead….but I’d be grateful for any input.

I bought a battery tender/charger today after noticing that over the past few months my hardwired radar detector was beginning to take longer and longer to power up in the morning. It originally came on the moment I started the truck, but now it can take 5-10 minutes of driving before it automatically turns on. In addition, my power steps have once or twice failed to drop or retract after the first start of the day. In both cases the equipment begins to function properly after 10-15 minutes of driving and all is well until the next morning.

I also started getting the “Remote Features Disabled” notifications via the app.

So I’m acting on the assumption that the battery saving feature on the truck is disabling the auxiliary stuff until the battery is recharged to a certain point?

Anyway, I’m hoping it’s that simple and topping off the battery every so often will prevent the delayed response in the auxiliary components.

If anyone wants to chime in and let me know if my assessment makes sense I’d truly appreciate it. I’m not sure I correctly understand what I was able to find on the topic.

Thanks in advance. Lol, and I’m gonna toss out a pic, simply because I believe a pic, regardless of how utterly boring it may be, still makes a post look way cooler than a bunch of words strung together.

I randomly got the "remote features disabled" for the first time just last night. Not sure if it's coincidence but it happened after I manually kept my Amp powersteps in a deployed position by keeping my weight on them so the heavy rain we were having could wash them off (winter road grime!). My theory is the powersteps draw current when left in that position, as it was the first for both events. Seems weird and not sure if it helps, but chiming in anyways and watching for what others have experienced.

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[Trustable]

Regarding my battery, I was away for work. Came back Friday.
It wasn't on the tender while I was gone, and didn't put it on since.
Its cold here, was -15c last night.
Started the truck today no probs, (except the transmission in R was a bitch). Out driving, the ASS activated. I never noticed at first, but when I did I was like Huh...of all the times it was finicky in the summer, its working great during a cold spell after sitting for weeks...wtf.

I have noticed if I pretty much start it up and reverse within a 10 second timeframe, it hesitates. I guess it just wants to hotbox itself in the garage or something instead of letting me warm it up outside lol.

 

[HTX1811]

Mishimoto??? Don't do it! It's a shit job, and my hoses didn't last a year without cracking. Fuel vapors can be very hard on rubber hoses.

I need to return it to stock when the nicer weather hits.

Too late. Whoever said it was a 1.5 hour job must have hands like a 12 year old girl. My big meat hooks made it damn near impossible to get the F***ING hose clamps to release and lock the new ones on after I was able to get my meat hooks crammed in there to get at them. I lost a few layers of skin on the back of my right hand. No F'ing way my left hand was going to fit and get the angle to even reach the damn clips. If they crack, I will be pissed because getting those clamps to release on the new hoses will be damn near impossible.

 

[Rob09]

Added some hood decals and magnetic metallic pinstripe to my Dad’s Ranger. He loves pinstripe. Im just ok about it.

I reckon he needs to lose the FX4 stickers and that thing will look amazing! Love the new stickers!

 

[Zeroedin]

Most likely that's the problem. If you don't drive a lot or long enough distance the battery never gets fully charged. My intelligent access wasn't working on 3 out of the 4 door handles and when I bought a maintainer it went back to normal. I added a longer lead and hardwired it and ran it out by the front tow hook so now I can quickly connect/disconnect it. When not in use it tucks right up into the boot by the tow hook. I'll keep it on the charger 3-4 days a week and haven't had any problems since.

Thanks for the reply, Dave. If I recall correctly, it was actually a picture of your setup with the hardwired connection that got me thinking about the battery; which in turn led me to discover the battery saving feature on these trucks. Most of my driving is short trips around town, and we’re currently in tourist season so it’s constant stop-n-go traffic everywhere. So I agree, it think the battery just isn’t getting fully charged and the auxiliary stuff gets cut. Hopefully, tomorrow morning everything will fire up from the get-go. Lol, if the tender ends up solving the issue I’ll probably be asking you for some tips on hardwiring.

I randomly got the "remote features disabled" for the first time just last night. Not sure if it's coincidence but it happened after I manually kept my Amp powersteps in a deployed position by keeping my weight on them so the heavy rain we were having could wash them off (winter road grime!). My theory is the powersteps draw current when left in that position, as it was the first for both events. Seems weird and not sure if it helps, but chiming in anyways and watching for what others have experienced.

I think you’re spot on about the PowerSteps drawing a lot of juice. I also use the fob remote start about 95% of the time, and I would imagine that’s contributing to my problem.

I’ll be curious to see if you run in to any temporary issues with the steps not deploying/retracting after getting the “remote features disabled” notification. Mine got stuck the next day, but like I said it resolved in 10-15 minutes.

Again, thank you both for the replies….and have a great evening.
Matt

 

[UnregistredHypercam2]

Im ashamed to admit I’ve joined the dark side….

 

[AzScorpion]

Im ashamed to admit I’ve joined the dark side….

Better late than never Jon. Welcome to the club! lol ?

 

[AzScorpion]

Thanks for the reply, Dave. If I recall correctly, it was actually a picture of your setup with the hardwired connection that got me thinking about the battery; which in turn led me to discover the battery saving feature on these trucks. Most of my driving is short trips around town, and we’re currently in tourist season so it’s constant stop-n-go traffic everywhere. So I agree, it think the battery just isn’t getting fully charged and the auxiliary stuff gets cut. Hopefully, tomorrow morning everything will fire up from the get-go. Lol, if the tender ends up solving the issue I’ll probably be asking you for some tips on hardwiring.




I think you’re spot on about the PowerSteps drawing a lot of juice. I also use the fob remote start about 95% of the time, and I would imagine that’s contributing to my problem.

I’ll be curious to see if you run in to any temporary issues with the steps not deploying/retracting after getting the “remote features disabled” notification. Mine got stuck the next day, but like I said it resolved in 10-15 minutes.

Again, thank you both for the replies….and have a great evening.
Matt

Another thing to remember is the heat will do a number on these batteries too so having the maintainer on it helps in the summer months. It's snowbird season here too and it's a mess of traffic everywhere you go now, the mpg takes a big hit too. Hopefully this works for you Matt.

 

[FireSpark]

Too late. Whoever said it was a 1.5 hour job must have hands like a 12 year old girl. My big meat hooks made it damn near impossible to get the F***ING hose clamps to release and lock the new ones on after I was able to get my meat hooks crammed in there to get at them. I lost a few layers of skin on the back of my right hand. No F'ing way my left hand was going to fit and get the angle to even reach the damn clips. If they crack, I will be pissed because getting those clamps to release on the new hoses will be damn near impossible.

The more and more i hear about their catch can - the more I'm turned off. I actually ordered from them and got parts for a damn Dodge Ram. Dbl checked my order and it ended up being on their side. I kept the air freshener and returned the rest to get the $ back and haven't pulled the trigger again.
I want to like their stuff - but crap....

 

[HTX1811]

Their intercooler install was smooth and a very nice bit of kit. Through no fault of theirs, the catch can job was a bitch due to the location of the factory PVC valves and all of the shit crammed under the hood of the little 4 cylinder that could. The damn little release push thing on the factory hose clips were a bitch to get released. Maybe smaller hands would help. Then getting the new hose clamps clamp to release and snap on was very difficult due to the sane issues mentioned above.
The catch can install is not one of those that would get easier the next time because I could not figure out a work around to get in there to the clamps. There is only one way to get to them and then it’s a though angel to get at them and have enough leverage to do what’s needed.

The more and more i hear about their catch can - the more I'm turned off. I actually ordered from them and got parts for a damn Dodge Ram. Dbl checked my order and it ended up being on their side. I kept the air freshener and returned the rest to get the $ back and haven't pulled the trigger again.
I want to like their stuff - but crap....

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Im ashamed to admit I’ve joined the dark side….

Jon!

 

[OFC Ranger]

Well hopefully the rear wall of my rear seat delete will be done in next 48 hours.

My morale patch sums up everything!

Also, @Glocker hehehehehehe....

 

[Aonarch]

Too late. Whoever said it was a 1.5 hour job must have hands like a 12 year old girl. My big meat hooks made it damn near impossible to get the F***ING hose clamps to release and lock the new ones on after I was able to get my meat hooks crammed in there to get at them. I lost a few layers of skin on the back of my right hand. No F'ing way my left hand was going to fit and get the angle to even reach the damn clips. If they crack, I will be pissed because getting those clamps to release on the new hoses will be damn near impossible.

I have Mishimoto catchcans on my two other vehicles, but I am not attempting this install.

I have XL hands, I know that it is going to be a total bitch and I might even fail.

I had to take the intake manifold off of my Miata to do it.

 

[SVTPaul]

I have Mishimoto catchcans on my two other vehicles, but I am not attempting this install.

I have XL hands, I know that it is going to be a total bitch and I might even fail.

I had to take the intake manifold off of my Miata to do it.

I can't speak to the difficulty of the mishimoto but I managed to do the JLT with a fairly large pair of mitts that lack fine dexterity. I'm not going to say there wasn't a significant number of obscenities sworn that day but got it done. Not only is it tight, but you have to work by feeling around what you can't really see. Fun times for sure. The video they have of the installation makes it look like fairly easy.

 

[HTX1811]

I can't speak to the difficulty of the mishimoto but I managed to do the JLT with a fairly large pair of mitts that lack fine dexterity. I'm not going to say there wasn't a significant number of obscenities sworn that day but got it done. Not only is it tight, but you have to work by feeling around what you can't really see. Fun times for sure. The video they have of the installation makes it look like fairly easy.

I love how in the video they simply glaze over the getting in there and actually releasing the clips. One second it's on and magically the next frame it's off with the text saying simply push and remove the clip.

No F'ing way.

This removal and install was much more challenging than removing the hard to get to 3rd bolt on the down pipe. That was a walk in the park compared to this.

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